Bakke resigned twice as 1MDB chairman, says Seng Giaw

Former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that he had resigned from his post twice because he was not satisfied with the company's management, said PAC vice-chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw. The DAP lawmaker said Bakke told the committee members this during the proceedings today. Tan, who is the Kepong MP, said Bakke only gave the reason why he relinquished his position as chairman of the state investment arm. “Bakke admitted that he was appointed as chairman of 1MDB but he was not satisfied with the management and later resigned. “So he told why he resigned from 1MDB, because he was not satisfied, that's all,” Tan said when contacted by The Malaysian Insider. Bakke was among two former 1MDB top bosses who were called during the last PAC proceeding today. The other was chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Halmi. Bakke first resigned as 1MDB chairman on April 7, 2009. He was reappointed but left his post once again on October 11, 2009. “He said he resigned because the management did not adhere to his directives. He was then reappointed. “But he said because that his proposal was not followed by the 1MDB management, he resigned again. Bakke is a good man,” said Tan. Bakke, who is now president and chief executive of Sime Darby Group, was the first witness to be called today before the PAC which began its proceedings at 10.30am and ended about five hours later. The media personnel had been waiting since 9am in front of the Parliament after they were barred from entering the premises where the proceedings took place. Bakke's session ended about 12.20pm. The proceedings continued on with Shahrol till 3.30pm. In a statement on Tuesday, PAC chairman Datuk Hasan Arifin said the committee would have gathered sufficient information from previous hearings to make an objective, transparent and fair conclusion. The PAC probe into 1MDB has been ongoing since May 2015. The auditor-general is also scheduled to present the final report on 1MDB on February 24 and 25. There were many matters which the PAC had to scrutinise before it could submit a complete report to Parliament, Hasan told reporters at the Parliament after 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin appeared before the committee on January 19. – February 11, 2016.